Low friction seals

A review meeting of the three-year TDM-Seals project was held on 27 March at the offices of the Research Executive Agency (REA) in Brussels. The project was initiated in October 2012 by Assocomaplast (the Italian plastics and rubber processing machinery and moulds manufacturers' association) and ten other European partners. Funded as part of the seventh framework programme (FP7), the project has received a glowing assessment from the representatives of the European Commission, who emphasized the potential of the results achieved so far regarding the impact of the new technology on the market and its benefits for competivity.
TDM-Seals is developing an innovative structure for low friction rubber o-rings using a texturing process and a mould coating that facilitates demoulding operations (the technology is designed also for applications to other polymers). Still confidential, the results presented at the Brussels meeting demonstrated a significant reduction in friction by using the specific texture on test samples and consequent lower force needed to demould the article thanks to the mould coating.